Cartier Panthère: Elegance par excellence

The panther is Cartier's characteristic emblem, and the Cartier Panthère wristwatch is dedicated to the lithe creature. This animal's grace is the inspiration for the men's and women's watches in this collection.

Highlights

Distinctive designs: round or square cases

First Panthère watch appeared in 1914

Stainless steel, solid gold, or stainless steel and gold

Some watches feature diamonds

Newer models with precise quartz movements

Cartier Panthère: The Iconic Wildcat

The panther is Cartier's famous logo. Jeanne Toussaint, the company's creative director and confidant of Louis Cartier, introduced the panther as a stylistic element unique to Cartier. As creative director, Toussaint was also responsible for sketching the first Panthère wristwatch dating back to 1914. The gemstones on the case and bracelet resembled the coat of the sleek predator. The round case framed a square dial with Roman numerals. La Panthère, as Toussaint was fondly called by Cartier, created numerous jewelry collections in the form of the panther, among them bracelets, brooches, and necklaces. The panther developed into a coveted design feature and ultimately became the logo of the company. In 1948, the Duchess of Windsor purchased a panther brooch. Just a year later, she bought another, featuring a panther lying on a 152-carat sapphire cabochon. A flexible bracelet in the form of a panther was also part of the duchess's collection.

Cartier relaunched the Panthère collection in the early 1980s. The watch manufacturer took a new, modern direction with these models, as they were all powered by highly precise quartz movements. The watches resembled the Cartier Santos, one of the first pilot's watches ever created, due to their similar square shapes. The Panthère quickly developed into one of the most popular Cartier watches. Celebrities such as Keith Richards and Tina Turner have been seen wearing this watch.

Buying Advice

Have you always wanted a Cartier watch? Do you love square-shaped watches? Then consider a watch from the Cartier Panthère collection. You have the choice between stainless steel watches, solid 18-karat gold watches, or bicolor steel/gold watches. These unisex watches are powered by highly precise quartz movements that only require correction every few months. Since Cartier stopped producing this watch, it's almost exclusively available pre-owned. The price for a bicolor Panthère in good condition starts around 800 euros. If you want a gold, diamond-set watch, on the other hand, you should plan to invest over 15,000 euros. Gold watches with leather straps are available starting around 2,000 euros; those with a yellow gold bracelet cost around 3,000 euros. Very rarely, unworn models are available for purchase. Prices for these range between 4,000 and 10,000 euros.

If you want to buy a round Panthère, you should plan to spend at least 1,000 euros. This also applies to the models with a wide band. The band clasps around the case on these models, making them more reminiscent of bracelets than standard wristwatches.

If you're on the search for a mechanical wristwatch with an automatic caliber, then the Santos and Tank collections are good options. The Santos costs less than 1,000 euros pre-owned; new, stainless steel versions cost around 3,000 euros. Unworn gold watches from this collection cost much more, around 10,000 euros. The Tank is available pre-owned and in good condition for less than 500 euros, making it one of Cartier's entry-level models. New, however, the square timepiece costs around 1,900 euros. Inspired by British tanks, Cartier developed the Tank in 1917 during the First World War.

The Santos 100 is a trendy, larger watch. It measures in at 41 mm x 51 mm, making it more suited for larger wrists. Cartier presented this watch in celebration of the Santos's 100th anniversary in 2004. The price for the Santos 100 starts around 2,500 euros; a new model costs at least 4,000 euros.

The Cartier Panthère's Design

The design of the Cartier Panthère is simultaneously elegant and sporty. Newer models with square cases and metal bracelets resemble sport watches. Eight dots on the bezel make the watch reminiscent of the Santos Sport, which was released in 1978. Classic design elements such as Roman numerals, which are characteristic Cartier details, are also found on the Panthère. You have the choice between leather and metal bands. The five-link metal bracelet is available in stainless steel, gold, or a bicolor combination of both metals. Some models feature diamonds on the case and bezel.

The design of the first Cartier Panthère differs significantly from that of the newer models. The 1914 watch has a round case and was set with light and dark gemstones, creating a pattern reminiscent of the big cat's coat. This pattern decorated the case as well as the bracelet. The dial was square and had Roman numeral hour markers. Cartier utilized so-called "Breguet hands," which feature hollow, eccentric "moon" tip ends. They are named after their inventor, Abraham-Louis Breguet.